Method of lustering and improving the quality of lambskins and sheepskins



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Patented .Jan. 6, I 1931 UNITED STATES MYRON LAKIN, OF MILWAUKEE, .WISCONSIN METHOD OF LUSTERING AND IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LAMBSKINS ANDSHEEPSKINS No Drawing. I

This invention relates to improvements in the method of lustering andimproving the quality of lambskins and sheepskins.

Heretofore, lambskinsand sheepskins, when finished for use in and ongarments have had a very characteristic appearance. By means of thepresent invention ordinary lambskins and sheepskins may be finished soas to very materially change their appear- The result is, that lambskinsand sheepskins treated according to the present method may beattractively embodied in garments. Hence, a very important.- aspect ofthe present invention is that the treatment not lambskins and sheepskinscontemplated thereby transforms said lambslt'ins-or sheep-.

skins from their ordinaryappearance to that of an appearance withgreaterluster, more desirable coloring effects, and silkiness.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a method oftreating lambskins and sheepskins which will improve thenatural life andwearing qualities of the hair or Wool of the skins and which will alsogive to the hair or wool of the skins a very silky and full appearanceand feel.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method of treatinglambskins and sheepskins which will result. in products which, whenworn, will not fuzz out and become shaggy and which will shed waterwhereby the products will retain their original color and luster.

A furtherobject of the invention is to provide a method of treatinglambskins and sheepskins which will strengthen the grain of the skinnearest to the wool. whereby the workability of the leather is increasedas is the life and appearance of the finished prod-.

ity of lambskins and sheepskins, and its.

Application filed August 19, 1929. Serial No. 387,100.

parts and steps as set forth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof.

In carrying out the in'i n'oved method for the treatment of pelts, skinsand hides, the dressing or tanning of the same is carried out in theusual manner for fur or wool skins and pelts. Then, the skins or peltsare prepared for dyeing by giving the same a preliminary combing andclipping, after which the skins or pelts are dyed or colored by any ofthe known methods now in use for this purpose or by any combination ofthe same.

After the dyeing step, the skins or pelts are treated with an oil or fatemulsion, which treatment is carried out by an immersion method, usingeither a drum, paddle vat, or a tub. leather, as well as to the wool orfur, which will enhance the feel and appearance of the finished product.This Y treatment also strengthens the grain nearest the wool or fur andthus increases the workability of the same'aswell as the life andappearance of the finished product. For said oil treatment any of thefollowing oils may be used: neatsfoot, castor, olive, and so forth, andsaid oils may be used with or without the addition of unsaponifiableoils such as mineral oils.

sperm oil, and wool grease. in carrying out this step it has been foundpractical and successful to use in 'a vat one gallon of sulphonatedneats-foot. oil (for example) with one hundred gallons of water. If anunemulsified oil is used it may be emulsified by some enmlsifying agentsuch as gum, albumin. soap, alkali, or a soluble oil. So far v as isknown, the above method of applying oils to skins or pelts bydirectimmersion is new and is far more effective, as well as cheaper,than the introduction of oil by merely swab bing the leather side.Furthermore, applying the oil by direct immersion serves to enrich thewool fiber with oil.

The next step in the treatment of the pelts or skins is for the purposeof removing therefrom excess water and this is accomplished by pressingthe skins or pelts or by centrifugating the same. After the excess waterhas been removed the skins are dried and-then they are dampened andmilled in sawdust This step serves to give oil to the containing anemulsion mixture of oil and water to prevent bleeding of the oil used inthe before-described immersion step. For the milling step a satisfactoryproportion of ingredients is as follows: 300 pounds of sawdust; 7gallons of water, and-1 gallon of sulphonated neats-foot oil, olive oil,or a like .oil. Following the milling the skins or pelts are combed,beaten and clipped, after which they are stretched and dried andthenbuflt'ed and are ready for the finishing operations.

To further enhance the luster, feel and appearance of certain dullerskins or pelts it is desirable togive the same a light coating of oilapplied to the wool either by spray or by hand. For this purpose whiteparafiine oil has been found to be highly satisfactory. Following theapplication of the light coating of oil, the skins or pelts areelectrified by being gone over by a hot iron and comb and are nextbeaten and clipped by machine.

' To increase the permanence and, wearing qualities of what is put intoand given to the pelts and skins by the oiling, electrifying, beatingand clipping operations. these operations are repeated. I

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the improved methodof treating lambskins and sheepskins results in products of superiorquality and appearance, and the wool of said products have an unusualluster and the life of the same is increased.

WVhat is claimed as the invention is: 1. The method of treatinglambskins and sheepskins which consists of tanning the same, thencombing and clipping the wool sides thereof, dyeing the skins, and thenintroducing directly onto and into the skins an oil emulsion.

2. The method of treating skins which consists of immersing said skinsdirectly in a fat emulsion, and then removing the skins after they havebecome saturated.

3. The method of treating lambskins and sheepskins which consists ofdirectly immersing said skins in a vat containing oil and water in theproportion of one part of oil to one hundred parts of water, and thenremoving the skins after they have become saturated.

4. The method ofv treating lambskins or sheepskins which consists oftanning the same. then combing and clipping the wool sides thereof,dyeing the skins, then'directly immersing said skins in a vat containingan emulsion of oil and water in the proportion of about one part of oilto one hundred parts of water. and then removing the skins from the vatafter the emulsion therein has saturated the skins.

5. The method of treating tanned and dyed lambskins which consists inimmersing the same in a fatty emulsion for a period sufficient tosaturate the skins, then drying and pressing the skins, and thendampening the skins and milling the same in sawdust mixed with a fattyemulsion.

6. The method of treating tanned and dyed lambskins and sheepskins whichconsists in immersing the same in a fatty emulsiomremoving the skinsafter they have absorbed some of the fatty material, then drying andpressing the skins, and then dampening the skins and milling the same insawdust mixed with a fatty emulsion in the proportion of three hundredpounds of sawdust to seven gallons of water and one gallon of oil.

7. The method of treating tanned and dyed lambskins and sheepskins whichconsists in immersing the same in a fatty emulsion, removing the skinsfrom the emulsion after a relatively short time interval, then dryingthesame, then milling the skins in sawdust mixed with a fatty emulsion,and finally applying a hot iron to the wool sides of the skins.

8. The method of treating tanned and dyed lambskins and sheepskins whichconsists in immersing the same in a fatty emulsiou sufiiciently long forthe skins to become saturated, then withdrawing and drying the same.then milling the skins in sawdust mixed with afatty emulsion, thencombing, beating, clipping, stretching and drying the skins, and finallyapplying a hot iron to the wool sides thereof.

9. The method of tre atin g'lambskins and the vat after they have becomesaturated,

then drying and pressing the skins, next dampening the skins and millingthe same in sawdust mixed with a fatty emulsion in the proportions ofabout'three hundred pounds of sawdust to seven gallons of water and one,gallon of oil, then combing, beating, clipping, stretching, drying andbufling the skins, then lustering the wool sides of the same by applyingalight coating of oil, and finally ironing and combing the skins, afterwhich the pelts are beaten and clipped.

10. The method of'treating sheepskins and lambskins, which consists offirst tanning and dyeing the same,'then giving the wool sides apreliminary combing and clipping, then combing, beating, clipping,stretching, dyeing and bufling the skins, and finally applying a hotiron to'the skins. after which the skins are. beaten and clipped.

, In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

' MYRON LASKIN.

